MRI: Acquisition of a Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorter for Multidisciplinary Research and Teaching at Central Michigan University

授予中密歇根大学购买荧光激活细胞分选仪（FACS）。 当单细胞在流体流中流动时，FACS仪器测量单细胞的多种物理特性，每次一个细胞经过测量点。 每秒数千个细胞通过一个或多个激光束，并检测从细胞发射或散射的光。 该系统将检测到的光信号转换成由计算机软件程序处理的电子信号。可以测量的细胞特性包括数量、大小、形状和荧光强度。 FACS还可以基于这些特性将细胞分选成不同的群体。 购买流式细胞仪将大大提高CMU教师进行前沿研究的能力。 FACS将由来自生物学，化学和心理学系以及医学院的至少21名教师使用。 教师用户将在许多不同的研究项目中使用流式细胞仪，从评估五大湖的微生物多样性到生产干细胞移植到动物大脑中。购置外地资产管制系统还将通过提供最先进的设备来指导下一代科学家的培训。 据估计，每年将有35名学生接受培训，通过学院指导的研究项目使用外地资产管制系统。此外，一些教师用户担任研究导师的本科生参加旨在增加学生追求生物研究职业的多样性的计划。 更多的学生将通过课程接触到外地资产管制系统。 PI和co-PI将为有兴趣利用该仪器进行研究的教师和学生开发一个关于FACS技术的短期课程。 此外，目前有几个500级生物学和神经科学课程，为本科生和研究生提供服务，其中将纳入使用流式细胞术和细胞分选的实验室练习。 通过评估和保护五大湖的环境健康的研究项目，FACS将潜在地造福于社会，促进我们对基本细胞过程的了解，并了解大脑功能。

An award is made to Central Michigan University to purchase a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). A FACS instrument measures multiple physical characteristics of single cells as they flow in a fluid stream one cell at a time past a point of measurement. Thousands of cells per second are passed through one or more laser beams and the light that is emitted or scattered from the cell is detected. The system converts the detected light signals into electronic signals that are processed by a computer software program. Cell properties that can be measured include number, size, shape, and fluorescence intensity. A FACS can also sort cells into different populations based on these properties. The acquisition of a FACS will make a substantial improvement in the ability of faculty at CMU to conduct leading-edge research. The FACS will be used by at least 21 faculty from the Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology Departments and the College of Medicine. The faculty users will use the FACS in many diverse research projects ranging from assessing the microbial diversity of the Great Lakes to producing stem cells for transplantation into brains of animals. The acquisition of the FACS will also direct the training of the next generation of scientists by providing access to state-of-the-art equipment. It is estimated that 35 students/year will be trained to use the FACS through faculty-directed research projects. In addition, several of the faculty users serve as research mentors for undergraduate students participating in programs that are designed to increase the diversity of students pursuing careers in biological research. Many more students will be exposed to the FACS through coursework. The PI and co-PIs will develop a short course on FACS technologies available to faculty and students interested in utilizing the instrument for research. In addition, there are several current 500-level Biology and Neuroscience courses servicing both undergraduates and graduate students in which laboratory exercises using flow cytometry and cell sorting will be incorporated. The FACS will potentially benefit society through research projects that assess and protect the environmental health of the Great Lakes, further our knowledge of basic cellular processes, and understand brain function.